


Home

by WrathoftheStag (Mwuahna)



Category: Check Please! (Webcomic)
Genre: Love, M/M, Phone Calls & Telephones, Realizing you're in love, bitty in madison, jack in providence, shortly after jack's graduation, the graduation kiss didn't happen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-29
Updated: 2018-04-29
Packaged: 2019-04-29 09:24:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,920
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14469687
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mwuahna/pseuds/WrathoftheStag
Summary: What if Jack and Bitty didn’t kiss on Graduation Day?  It only takes one phone call for Jack to realize he’s made a huge mistake.





	Home

**Author's Note:**

  * For [doorstepdreams](https://archiveofourown.org/users/doorstepdreams/gifts).



> For [Doorstepdreams](https://archiveofourown.org/users/doorstepdreams) who was feeling under the weather. Just for you, my dear. I hope you start feeling better soon. xoxo

Jack began to feel overwhelmed by the number of boxes around him but calmed down when he finally noticed that Bittle had labeled and numbered the outside of each one.

 _Books: box 1 of 5; Gear: box 1 of 7; Clothes: box 1 of 2_ and so on…

He admired the slanted cursive that was one hundred percent Bittle and remembered that a small package arrived from Madison yesterday. 

Jack retrieved it from the hallway, ripped it open, and smiled as he dipped his hand in to pull out the packing peanuts. Inside sat a box cutter tied with a blue ribbon. Bitty knew that Jack would be in his new apartment after spending a few weeks in Montreal, so his timing was impeccable. Also in the box was a jar of jam, peanut butter, and a loaf of bread—all homemade.

 _Get to work, Zimmermann!_ the accompanying note read.

After unpacking his clothes and organizing his closet, Jack sat on the floor at the foot of his bed and pulled out his phone. He took a bite of his PBJ as he dialed.

“What? Already lost without me?”

“Thanks for the help, Bittle,” Jack said softly, sandwich still in hand.

“How’s it going?” 

“I got the clothes done—”

“That’s because you don’t have any!” Bitty replied with sass.

“I mean, other than a couple game day suits and my uniform, what else do I need?” Jack said as a small smile bloomed on his face.

“Savage. Please tell me your fashion sense won’t devolve any further and you’ll become one of those guys that wear socks with slides, and sweatpants everywhere,” Bitty said with much exasperation. “Soon, jorts will follow, and then you’ll be wearing carpenter pants, bless your heart.” 

He could almost picture Bitty shuddering at the thought.

“That’s pretty hypocritical coming from you. You own two pairs of Adidas slides, Bittle.”

“But I wear them fashionably… not like some _sports heathen_.”

“Sports heathen?” Jack said with a chuckle. “So, what do you have planned for today?”

“Hmm… well, Mama and I already went grocery shopping and we were going to see MooMaw tonight for supper but that switched to tomorrow.”

“Supper, eh?” 

“You hush, mister.”

Jack laughed and took another bite of his sandwich.

“So I was just going to hang out and relax. Maybe watch something? I don’t know.”

“That sounds nice.”

“Not knowing sounds nice?” 

“No, I mean, being able to relax,” Jack replied. He put the sandwich down and sighed. This conversation with Bittle was the closest thing he’d had to relaxation in a few weeks. Even in his childhood bedroom in Montreal, Jack felt a bit too tightly wound… like a spring ready to _sprong_ at any moment. But with Bitty, that tension was gone. That Jack-in-the-box was out… and happy.

“What are you going to watch?” Jack asked.

“ _Seeking a Friend for the End of the World_. It’s on Netflix and I’ve been meaning to see it forever, but never got around to it.”

Jack looked over at his laptop, casually flung on his half-made bed.

“Can I watch with you?”

“Like, with me? While we’re on the phone?”

“Yeah, if that’s okay?”

“Course it is. Why don’t we get some snacks ready and reconvene in 20 minutes? Sound good?”

“It takes you 20 minutes to get snacks, Bittle?” 

“If you must know, I also have to use the little boy’s room AND get snacks, Mr. Nosey.”

Jack laughed. “Okay, fair enough. Talk to you in a bit.”

Jack tossed his phone onto the bed and made his way to the kitchen to make another sandwich. Jack examined the label on the peanut butter. _Organic infused peanut butter with a dollop of maple syrup and a pitted date or two!_

There was a smiley face after the exclamation mark. Jack touched it gingerly with his finger. His brow crinkled as he questioned his own actions. Why did a simple jar of peanut butter make him feel so warm inside? Jack shook his head and pushed any confusing thoughts away as he reached for the loaf of bread.

He settled back into his room with another sandwich, some pretzels and carrot sticks on his plate, and a container of hummus he fished out of his jogging pants’ pocket. 

Jack arranged his bed picnic and sat his laptop on a pillow next to him. He pulled up Netflix, found the movie, and frowned when he read the summary: _Three weeks left on Earth. She wants to reunite with her family. He wants to find the one that got away._

A romance? Were they going to watch a romance? Together? Jack initially thought it was a sci-fi flick from the name. His ringing cell phone pulled him out of his thoughts.

“Okay! I am ready, steady, go. You all set, Mister?” Bitty said without a hello.

“I have a PBJ à la Bittle, some carrots, hummus. I’m good to go.”

“Aw, you’re eating my food. That makes me feel good.”

Jack’s immediate reaction was _You make me feel good_ —and that confused him, yet again. Bittle was a friend, right? A good friend. So why shouldn’t he make Jack feel good?

“It’s good, Bittle. I can taste the maple,” Jack said and tried to sound neutral.

“Good, huh? Coming from you, I guess that’s high praise,” Bitty said with laughter in his voice. “I just pulled up the movie on my laptop. You ready?”

“Are you sure this is what you want to see?” Jack blurted out.

“Well we’re not going to see _Slapshot_ or _Miracle_ , I’m telling you that right now.”

“No, it’s fine. I… never mind. I’m ready,” Jack said trying to cover his embarrassment. What exactly was he embarrassed about? He wasn’t even sure but Jack was thankful they’re not on Skype.

Even over the phone, however, they eased into their usual easy companionship. Jack could feel Bittle’s presence, strong and comforting.

The movie played and Bittle made funny comments and easily added poignant ones as well. And Jack felt truly at peace for the first time in weeks.

“What would you do if you knew the world was ending in a couple weeks?” Bitty asked.

“Would hockey be too predictable an answer?”

Bittle laughed. “Really, Jack? And yet, I’m not surprised. We should find out if there’s a Zamboni granddaughter we can hook you up with, so at least you have a final fling before the end.”

Jack stopped from jokingly adding, “Or grandson.” He surprised himself and wondered where all this was coming from. “Haha, Bittle. Very funny,” he supplied instead.

“I think, I would like to spend my last two weeks baking for everyone I love. We’d have elaborate meals each night. And I wouldn’t wash a single dish. I’d just throw them out after every meal.”

Jack smiled, enchanted, as Bittle continued.

“And I’d want to be with the ones I love, all of us in one house. One haus? House? Who knows. But we’d just eating and laughing and dancing. And on that last night, we’d say goodnight and that would be that.”

Jack felt a deep warmth bloom from within. “That sounds perfect, Bittle.”

They remained silent for a few moments and continued watching.

“Speaking of homes. How’s it going there? Really. Truly. Is it starting to feel like it’s yours?”

“It has my things. My name’s on the lease... I guess it’s as mine as it’s going to be.”

“But what can you do to make it a home? To make it feel like home?”

Jack looked at his room and wondered what it would take to accomplish that. “I’ll get used to it soon enough, I guess. Once I start throwing my gear around all over the place, it’ll feel like I belong.”

“Being back in Madison, I feel anything but belonging,” Bitty sighed. “It’s like I climbed back into hiding and I’m suffocating sometimes… I love Mama and Coach. I swear, I do. But I don’t love who I am when I’m here.”

“I’m sorry, Bittle. It’s terrible having to hide who you are.” And Jack really meant it. He knew what it was like; how exhausting it could be. 

“It really is. I just want to be true to myself,” Bittle added after a beat.

Things quieted down momentarily and Jack thought about Bittle stuck in Madison living a somewhat parallel life to Jack’s: presenting one facade to the world—what was expected—while hiding who he really was. He felt a deep kinship with Bitty in that moment. Then Jack heard a loud crunch and laughed as it broke through the sudden moment of introspection and melancholy.

“What the hell was that?” Jack asked.

“Potato chip,” Bittle replied and began to crack up.

“Nice,” Jack added. They settled back into their movie in relative silence.

“Lord, I can’t believe she’s helping Dodge find his ex. Clearly, Penny and Dodge belong together. It’s their fate.”

Halfway through the movie, Jack realized that he’s actually invested in the characters’ happiness. He’s rooting for them and their chance at love.

“So you believe in soulmates, Bittle?”

Bitty was silent for a while, and Jack thought the line may have cut off.

“Yes,” he finally answered. “I think there are some people that are just meant to be—but maybe, for whatever reasons, they just never get together. And that’s just the saddest thing ever. Isn’t it?”

Jack shrugged and remembered Bittle couldn't see him. “I guess.”

“You’re such a romantic, Jack,” Bitty added with a soft teasing laugh.

Jack smiled and felt his cheeks burn at the gentle gibe.

“Have you ever been in love?” Bittle asked and for a moment, it seemed as though Jack’s world had shifted its axis.

What was love? Jack thought he was in love once, and it ended disastrously. It wasn’t love… who knew what it was. He didn’t love Kate, Samantha or Camilla. He was fond of them, liked them all immensely, but love? No.

His thoughts then drifted to last month. Graduation day. 

_“Bye, Jack.”_

_“Bye, Bittle. It's been great playing with you.”_

Jack was suddenly flooded with the memory of Bitty’s face—sad and unsure. How he grasped at Jack’s tie. How his eyes looked less bright, less Bittle. Jack should have said goodbye that day. Really said goodbye in a way that meant something. 

“Jack?” 

Home. What would make his place a home, Bitty had asked. Jack then knew the answer. Bittle. Bittle would make Jack’s place feel like home. And Jack wanted to share moments with Bittle in his home. Every moment. He wanted Bitty next to him. He wanted to come home to Bitty; to feel Bitty’s warmth, feel him close. He realized he wanted to look into Bitty’s eyes and confide everything to him, his entire life, and his hopes and dreams for the future.

Jack held his breath and was terrified of what it all meant—for his career, his life—because at that moment, Jack discovered he was in love. Jack was in love with Bitty.

Love. Good god.

Jack broke into a cold sweat as the main character spoke on screen: _“It couldn't have happened any other way. It had to happen now… I'm scared. I... am madly in love with you_.”

“Jack?” Bitty asked again.

“Yes,” Jack replied. “I’ve been in love.”

“Oh?” Bitty said in a near whisper.

Jack smiled and knew the next step would be the easiest. It would be like finally coming home.

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote a companion piece to [this in Bitty's POV](https://archiveofourown.org/works/14482821).
> 
> [Seeking a Friend for the End of the World](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T43InzvBm-k) trailer.
> 
> All OMGCP characters belong to the wonderful Ngozi.


End file.
